Elemental: Chapter Eleven, Part 3

Inside my cabin, I felt overwhelmed with sorrow. The next step promised to be better—more difficult, perhaps, but better—but I would always remember this place. The memories trapped in these walls replayed before me, from the first moment I saw the desolate building and the wondrous rocking chair to Nick’s arrival, all the arguments, all the tears, everything. I soaked it up, never wanting to forget any of this, despite the drama and heartache. It seemed like my first real lesson in life: people get hurt, and all you can do most times is hope it doesn’t hurt too much.

“We can bring the chair if you would like,” Valetta suggested gently from behind me.

I turned, swiping at the tears that had appeared on my cheeks. “That’s okay.”

“Drei already approved it; all you have to do is say yes.”

“No, really. I don’t need it,” I reassured her, gazing over its carvings again, knowing I would probably never remember the full intricacy of the designs.

“You know he found that chair specifically for you. He personally refurbished it,” she said, coming closer.

“Why?”

“The carvings on the chair are for calming, relaxing, and clear thought. It was your mother’s before she was taken,” Valetta responded very matter-of-factly, sounding like a documentary. “It is an heirloom passed down in your family as nearly as we can tell. He found it at an auction, and thought you would like it when he found you.”

I shook my head, knowing something Valetta didn’t. “I needed the chair when I came, but I don’t need it anymore.”

“Very well;” only her raised eyebrows betrayed her surprise. “We need to go. Sorry to cut short your reminiscing.”

Gazing around me again—the never entered second room, the front room, my room, the chair—flashes of my life popped up before me, vivid again. “I was just finishing,” I said, watching the image of Nick and I hugging earlier that afternoon fade away. Even if it was only a temporary goodbye—as he had insisted—I was still going to miss him. But that’s life for you. It was time for someone other than myself to bow out. I had done enough of that to last me a lifetime.

“What’s happening to Nick?” I asked, suddenly needing to know. He was staying behind, but that didn’t mean nothing was happening. Something had to happen.

“Now, or after his colleagues arrive?” Valetta followed me out.

“Both.”

“We are not certain what the government will do to him. There has never before been a bounty hunter to help us,” she replied, a slight note of concern to her voice. “As for now, you should ask Drei. Just know I stopped them from hurting him too much.”

A nervous laugh escaped my lips. “What does that mean?”

“Ask Drei.”

“Everyone keeps telling me that.” I wasn’t quite ready to face him.

“Then maybe it is time you listened,” Valetta said easily as we fell into the disappearing procession of children and vampires.